Can I make this cookie dough ahead of time?

Yes! Mix the dough as directed, shape it into dough balls, and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Transfer refrigerated cookie dough balls directly to a lined baking sheet, and bake normally. To freeze cookie dough, scoop the dough into balls and place them on a baking sheet or large plate lined with a piece of parchment paper, waxed paper, or a nonstick baking mat. Place the cookie dough in the freezer for 2-3 hours, until frozen solid. Transfer frozen cookie dough balls to an airtight container and return to the freezer until you're ready to bake. To bake frozen cookie dough balls straight from the freezer, we recommend reducing the oven temperature to 350° F (a lower temp helps frozen cookies spread out more evenly!)

What size cookies can I make?

This recipe makes 24-30 large cookies (formed with a 3-Tablespoon cookie scoop ) or 72-90 bite-sized cookies (formed with a 1-Tablespoon cookie scoop ). Use any size cookie scoop you like here! Keep in mind that if you use a different size cookie scoop, you will likely need to adjust the baking time.

Can I freeze these cookies?

Yes! Like classic chocolate chip cookies , these cookies freeze quite well. Let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 4 months. Let frozen cookies defrost for a few hours on the counter when you're ready to eat them.

Can I use a stand mixer or hand mixer?

Yes! If you prefer to use a stand mixer or hand mixer in your baking, you can certainly use those appliances for this recipe.

Can I make a half batch or small batch of these cookies?

For just a few cookies, we recommend following our small batch chocolate chip cookie recipe (you can add a handful of nutty pistachios to those cookies, and swap the chocolate for white chocolate chips!)

Should I toast the pistachios?

You can certainly toast the pistachios if you like, but it's entirely optional! If you've tried many of our baking recipes, you know that we almost ALWAYS recommend toasting nuts for added flavor, especially in recipes like our chocolate chip pecan cookies or cranberry pecan bread . Toasting nuts is also a worthwhile step in most salad recipes (like the walnuts in a chicken arugula salad or strawberry spinach salad , or the pepitas in our spinach sweet potato salad ). That said: We've tested this recipe with toasted pistachios and untoasted pistachios, and in this particular case, our testers didn't think the toasting step made that much of a difference. Pistachios are quite flavorful on their own. When you pair them with high quality white chocolate chips (or white baking chocolate ), you really don't need to add that extra toasting step. This may of course vary by brand - in our testing, we used Wonderful Lightly Salted Pistachios , which we've found to be quite flavorful on their own. If you're using unsalted pistachios or older pistachios that may be losing their freshness, it might be worthwhile to add a toasting step to enhance the nutty flavor.

Pistachio White Chocolate Cookies

Name: White Chocolate and Pistachio Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 170 grams unsalted butter, melted (1 ½ sticks ); 8 grams vanilla extract (2 teaspoons); 2 eggs; 130 grams white granulated sugar (⅔ cup); 150 grams light brown sugar (about ¾ packed cup); 330 grams all purpose flour (about 2 ¾ cups); 4 grams kosher salt (1 teaspoon); 5 grams baking soda (1 teaspoon); 150 grams shelled pistachios (1 cup); 180 grams white chocolate chips (1 cup)

Description

These chewy white chocolate chip and pistachio cookies are quick and easy (but still feel a bit fancy!) Melted butter keeps this dough simple so it's ready in no time.

Ingredients

Scale

170 grams unsalted butter, melted (1 ½ sticks )
8 grams vanilla extract (2 teaspoons)
2 eggs
130 grams white granulated sugar (⅔ cup)
150 grams light brown sugar (about ¾ packed cup)
330 grams all purpose flour (about 2 ¾ cups)
4 grams kosher salt (1 teaspoon)
5 grams baking soda (1 teaspoon)
150 grams shelled pistachios (1 cup)
180 grams white chocolate chips (1 cup)

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Instructions

Heat oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or a sheet of parchment paper.
Whisk melted butter, vanilla, eggs, white sugar, and brown sugar together in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
Add flour, kosher salt, and baking soda to the bowl; stir until just combined.
Reserve a handful of pistachios and white chocolate chips for topping the cookies before baking (optional). Stir remaining pistachios and white chocolate chips into the cookie dough.
Use a 3-Tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the dough; place each dough ball 1 inch apart on your prepared baking sheet. Gently press a few reserved pistachios and white chocolate chips into the top of each cookie. Note: This recipe makes quite a few cookies; you will likely need to work in batches.
Bake cookies at 375° F for 10-13 minutes until lightly browned around the edges. Remove cookies from oven; let cool right on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to finish cooling. Note: The cookies may look a bit puffy right out of the oven, but the centers will sink down as they cool to form a beautiful, chewy texture.
Serve immediately or store cooled cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.

Notes

Please use a kitchen scale. Measuring by volume (with cups) is notoriously unreliable. For best results, use a kitchen scale and follow the gram measurements provided above.

What pistachios should I use? In our recipe testing, we used Wonderful Lightly Salted Pistachios, which are roasted and pre-shelled.

Substitutions. The mix-ins here are very forgiving: Adjust the exact amount of each ingredient to your liking. Swap some or all of the mix-ins for dark or milk chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or another nut variety (pecans, walnuts, almonds). Add a pinch of flakey sea salt to these cookies just after baking if you like. Use oil (avocado, vegetable, canola, olive) or melted coconut oil instead of melted butter.

Rest the cookie dough if you like. As the dough sits on the counter, it will thicken slightly (due to the melted butter cooling). Once mixed, let the dough sit on the counter for 10-15 minutes for softer, chewier cookies. For deeper flavor and chewier, thicker cookies, chill the cookie dough in the fridge for 30 minutes before scooping and baking.